Are family violence and sexual abuse part of Indigenous culture?
Neither family violence nor sexual abuse are part of traditional Indigenous culture or customary law. Traditionally, many Indigenous groups had systems of physical punishment for breaking customary laws, but abuse and family violence have never been accepted. Is there more family violence among Indigenous Australians than non-Indigenous Australians? Levels of family violence are higher among Australia’s Indigenous population. A recent study found that one in four Indigenous Australians aged over 15 reported having been a victim of physical or threatened violence in the last year. Both Indigenous men and women are twice as likely as other Australians to report that they have experienced or been threatened with violence. Many of the factors that contribute to family violence are the same for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, but are more common in Indigenous communities. They include poverty, unemployment, low household income, low education levels, lack of proper services, poor
